


A Documentary History of the U.S.S.S. Arkadia

by elle_stone



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:21:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28388451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elle_stone/pseuds/elle_stone
Summary: The U.S.S.S. Arkadia was decommissioned in 2580, and destined for the junk heap.In 2588, she was recommissioned with a new crew and a new mission: to reconstruct a vision of alien life on six possibly habitable planets.In 2589, two of her crew disappeared.The mystery has remained unsolved ever since.
Relationships: Bellamy Blake/Raven Reyes
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12
Collections: Ravenbell New Year Fanfiction Exchange (2020)





	A Documentary History of the U.S.S.S. Arkadia

**Author's Note:**

  * For [justbecauseyoubelievesomething](https://archiveofourown.org/users/justbecauseyoubelievesomething/gifts).



> This is my second gift for the Ravenbell New Year Fanfiction Exchange on tumblr. For this gift, I picked a prompt by justbecauseyoubelievesomething, which definitely deserves an ACTUAL epic fic. And instead I made, like an outline? With an extra dash of Experimentation in Form.
> 
> The prompt was: "Sci-fi/Space AU where Bellamy and Raven serve on the same ship; (fr)enemies to lovers with lots of angst along the way! Time loop/travel or interdimensional travel shenanigans would be appreciated as well!"
> 
> Hopefully there's enough here to allow a reader to figure out the main idea of the plot. I know a lot more than I said, though, and welcome questions.
> 
> Also, this is not actually a Star Trek AU but I DO watch a lot of Star Trek and so the ST influence is... pretty heavy. Shout out especially to "United Earth Space Probe Agency," whose name I basically just blatantly stole.
> 
> I chose not to use archive warnings because, _technically speaking_ there is major character death mentioned in this fic. But it's not the sort of major character death that I think warrants that tag.

**Recently declassified Earth Space Probe Agency file for the United States Star Ship _Arkadia_ :**

Originally commissioned: 2570

Decommissioned: 2580

Recommissioned: 2588

Crew (2588):

Captain Nathan Miller

First Officer Anya Woods

Chief Engineer Raven Reyes

Pilot Octavia Blake

Ship’s Doctor Clarke Griffin

Chief Anthropologist Bellamy Blake

Computer system and A.I. unit engineered by Monty Green

Additional crew: see page 18

Mission parameters: To conduct further research on 6 planets recently identified as showing signs of habitability. To conduct scientific research with the goal of proving or disproving the existence of previous alien life. If warranted, to conduct further anthropological research with the ultimate goal of reconstructing said alien societies.

Mission duration: 3 years

*

**Excerpts from Signs of Life: A Documentary Exploration of the Strange Second Life of the U.S.S.S. _Arkadia_ (dir. Madi Griffin, 2608):**

**Monty Green (A.I. Specialist, U.S.S.S. _Arkadia_ )**: Oh, we were always breaking down. That ship was dug out of the junk pile for that mission—which shows you just how important anyone, even ESPA, thought it was at the time. The only thing we really had going for us was the A.I., and I’m not just saying that because I designed it. At least it was new. Raven was holding the physical ship together with duct tape and glue, and we were lucky if we could sustain warp speed, more often than not. I don’t think there was a _single_ member of the crew who didn’t think, at least once, ‘we’re going to get stranded on one of these God-forsaken planets someday.’

Most of us were basically done by the end of the first six months. I mean, we were tired. We felt like we’d been pulled out of the junk pile too, in a way. If ESPA really valued us, wouldn’t we have been doing _anything_ else? But I will say, Bellamy was devoted from start to finish. He really believed.

And I’m not sure she would have admitted it, but I think Raven really did, too.

**John Murphy (Prisoner #4862, Polis Federal Penitentiary, Maryland):**

[long silence]

What do you want me to say? I was a pirate? Damn right I was. Looking for f---ing treasure in the last great unknown.

I was also a hero.

Who do you think sold them that key?

*

 **Chief Engineer Reyes’s Log (found on Planet Alpha 3, 6/15/2589) (heavily distorted)** : Six—eighteen—twenty-five-eighty-nine. Have traveled down the mountain, still dealing with treacherous pathways following that freak rainstorm. Still maybe one day’s travel from the shuttle drop off point. I already know it won’t be there. Attempts to contact the ship remain futile. It’s not that they’re not answering, it’s that [inaudible]. Even Bellamy agrees with me by now. That stubborn [inaudible]. We’re alone. Stranded. And, excuse the language, whoever finds this—fucked.

*

**Partial Inventory of Photographs from the Air and Space Museum Exhibition on the U.S.S.S. _Arkadia_ :**

Senior officers photographed on the day before launch. From left to right, back row: B. Blake, Reyes, Miller, Woods. From left to right, front row: Griffin, O. Blake.

Christmas Party, 2588, candids captured by ship’s computer: First Officer Griffin making disgusted face at lopsided gingerbread cake from ship’s food processors; Officers B. Blake and Reyes, caught beneath mistletoe, kissing awkwardly; Captain Miller and Officer O. Blake laughing raucously; Officer B. Blake, scowling, looking off camera, while Officer Green talks.

Officer Blake’s official photographs of Planet Alpha 3: red granite mountains against a crystalline blue sky; a torrential rainstorm, as seen from the mouth of a cave; close-ups of paved streets, recently uncovered, still strewn with dirt; close-ups of a variety of artifacts, seemingly electronic in nature; several shots of a red granite stone with a shallow square cut out of its center, and deep markings cut in the back.

Senior officers photographed on the day of the _Arkadia_ ’s return. From left to right: Griffin, Miller, Woods, Green, O. Blake.

*

 **Personal log of Chief Anthropologist Bellamy Blake** : Twelve-one-twenty-five-eighty-eight. Journey to next planet delayed. Again. I have plenty to do, just sorting and organizing all of the artifacts we photographed and data we collected at Alpha Two, but, I admit, I am irritated. Even Miller seems fine with our snail’s pace. Griffin seems most concerned we won’t make it home at all. And the other anthropologists treat this whole assignment like they’re doing time in a penal colony. Am I a fool for thinking this is the most amazing and important work I’ve ever done?

Reyes thinks the whole thing is depressing. She calls the artifacts from Alpha Two ‘proof of dead aliens.’ Of course this is the same woman who treats the _Arkadia_ as if it were alive. She’s certifiable.

At least she’s passionate, though.

*

 **Octavia Blake (Pilot, U.S.S.S. _Arkadia_ , interviewed for Signs of Life, 2608)**: Yeah, they hated each other. Used to fight about just about everything. Really annoying. We used to joke—used to joke—it’s actually kind of funny—because they were so—[mimics explosion]—together, but if they actually _agreed_ on anything, not even Miller could override them—we used to joke they were the most fearsome duo in our corner of the universe.

They hated that. Being called a duo.

But actually, you know. I knew my brother really well. I think he… you know, he respected her. He had respect for her. So I think it was probably all right that they… got stranded out there together. Or whatever happened to them.

*

**ARKADIAForum Post; May 1, 2600**

RE: ***That*** Pic

Yes, I know. It’s been talked about to death. But since Santiago’s article came out attempting to debunk the whole thing, I just had to look at it again.

First, I agree that it’s been doctored. But in my opinion, it’s been blurred. There’s no reason those two figures in the back should be so much harder to identify than anyone else. I mean it’s a big group shot! But we still know who everyone is, we can identify the President, ALL the Senators, ALL the Congressmen, ALL the other random people, but not these two???

Not to go over the same ground we ALL know but look again at the photo from the day before the Arkadia’s launch, and the photo from the bill signing event. You can see the shape of their faces is exactly the same, and you can almost see Blake’s freckles in the second photo, too.

Also want to give a shoutout to mechastation88 for digging up these two official portraits of Blake and Reyes from their early ESPA days. The similarities are, I think, pretty undeniable.

*

 **Nathan Miller (Captain, U.S.S.S. _Arkadia_ , interviewed for Signs of Life, 2608)**: Oh, sure, there are conspiracy theories out there. There are always going to be conspiracy theories. I get out a kick out of them, honestly.

(Interviewer, off-screen: Have you seen the infamous photograph?)

Miller: The one of President Clinton signing the bill that created ESPA? Of course I have.

(Interviewer: And do you have any comment on that?)

Miller: …Come on, Madi. You know I can’t answer that.

*

 **John Murphy (interviewed for Signs of Life, 2608)** :

(Interviewer, off-screen: So you believe—)

Murphy: That we’re in space at all because of them? Yes.

(Interviewer: You seem awfully confident—)

Murphy: That’s because I am. Never been more sure of anything in my life. You’d be too, if you saw that freaky rock and met those two—explorers, sons of b-----, whatever you want to call them.

*

 **From the personal files of Senator Marcus Kane (1945 – 2029) (to be donated to the University of Connecticut 50 years after his death)** :

Memo 8/5/1995: Coming up on the 5-year anniversary of the dismantling of NASA, and the dream of a replacement agency appears already dead. Post-Cold-War society will be a more dull, less informed, less curious—perhaps more dangerous?—place.

Some minor excitement: agenda disrupted due to unexpected interruption from two protestors, who made their way into Congressional offices after sneaking in with an authorized tour. Meeting with Wallace rescheduled for next Wednesday.

Meeting with protestors (or whoever they actually are) scheduled for Tuesday.

*

 **Classified ESPA File #6268Z** :

High-resolution photograph of the signing of S198, the bill officially authorizing the creation of ESPA, into law on September 1, 1995.

Attached: official photographs of Lt. Cmdr. Bellamy Blake and Lt. Cmdr. Raven Reyes, 2588.

*

 **Encyclopedia Entry on Bellamy Blake:** B. 2553. Disappeared 2589. Married to Gina Martin from 2579-2582. PhD in Anthropology, Columbia University, 2581. Joined the Earth Space Probe Agency in 2583; highest rank attained: Lieutenant Commander. Member of the U.S.S.S. _Arkadia_ ’s mission to investigate potential alien life on 6 unnamed planets (known as Alpha 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) from 2588 until his disappearance in 2589.

 **Encyclopedia Entry on Raven Reyes** : B. 2555. Disappeared 2589. PhD in Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2582. Joined the Earth Space Probe Agency in 2582; highest rank attained: Lieutenant Commander. Member of the U.S.S.S. _Arkadia_ ’s mission to investigate potential alien life on 6 unnamed planets (known as Alpha 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) from 2588 until her disappearance in 2589.

*

**Excerpt from the obituary column, Alexandria _Times_ , August 2, 2049:**

Bradley Blake, 90, of Alexandria, passed away on Thursday, July 9, in his home, after a short illness. Bellamy worked at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., from 1995 until his retirement in 2029. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Ramona Reyes. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 7.

*

 **Clarke Griffin (Chief Medical Officer, U.S.S.S. _Arkadia_ , interviewed for Signs of Life, 2608)**: No, I don’t know. I’m not going to speculate about what happened. I’ll tell you this: I knew them both, better than almost anyone. And they’re survivors.

They’re survivors. They survived.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find a moodboard to accompany this fic-type-thing on my tumblr [@kinetic-elaboration](https://kinetic-elaboration.tumblr.com/post/638774100636123136/a-documentary-history-of-the-usss-arkadia-a).


End file.
